Holes in your fantasy football lineup can be tough to deal with. The often leave you restless and fidgety until your lineups lock. But the right sleepers -- even in deep, 14- and 16-team leagues -- can offer respite.
Check out these seven deep sleepers for Week 10.
Quarterback
Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears (Owned in 3.6% of ESPN Leagues)
This week, Jay Cutler draws a great matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The over/under of 45 isn't great, and the fact that the Chicago Bears are 1.5-point underdogs gives them just an implied team total of 21.75, but the Buccaneers rank 28th against fantasy quarterbacks, per our DFS tools. They're the 9th-best matchup of Week 10 based on Adjusted Defensive Passing Paul Perkins played just 34% of the New York Giants' snaps last week, per FantasyData, and Rashad Jennings played 58%, but he got identical carries (11), targets (3), and receptions (3). Neither scored, but Perkins mustered 47 yards, and Jennings garnered 38. We can't really look to that and deduce much, but it's looking as if Perkins can be on the low end of a 60-40 split -- at worst. The Giants are 2.5-point underdogs against the Cincinnati Bengals this week, but it's tough to ignore double-digit touch potential at this ownership.
C.J. Prosise, Seattle Seahawks (22.8%)
Until C.J. Prosise sees a surge in ownership, he's going to be a deep sleeper candidate given his receiving ability. In Week 9, he totaled just 15 yards on 4 touches, so this probably isn't the showing that will lead to a spike in ownership levels. But Prosise actually played 55% of the snaps against the Buffalo Bills in Week 9, and Christine Michael played 38%.
The Seattle Seahawks are 7.5-point underdogs on a shortened week (they played Monday night) against the New England Patriots, who are coming off a bye week. That points to a need for increased passing, and Prosise should benefit. Plus, if 50% of the snaps become the norm, he'll be an easy play in PPR formats on a nearly weekly basis.
Wide Receiver
J.J. Nelson, Arizona Cardinals (9.9%)
The Arizona Cardinals have always been tough to figure out from a wide receiver standpoint, but it would have been a tough sell before the season to suggest that, in Week 8, J.J. Nelson would have played 92% of the snaps, Larry Fitzgerald would have played 79%, John Brown would play 54%, and Michael Floyd would get just 41%. But that's our reality.
Nelson drew a team high 12 targets in Week 8, and he probably isn't going anywhere, as head coach Bruce Arians named him a starter. The Cardinals are 13-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers, so they probably won't be throwing much in the second half. Still, you can get access to a starting receiver, who has double-digit target upside, on a team with a 30.5-point implied team total.
Rishard Matthews, Tennessee Titans (11.3%)
Well, similar to the Cardinals' receiver situation, the Tennessee Titans' wideouts have been frustrating, but it's looking like Rishard Matthews is finally emerging. In the team's past two games, he played 87 and 89% of snaps. Only Tajae Sharpe in Week 9 at 83% topped 70% in the past two games. He was at 55% in Week 8. Kendall Wright played 68% of snaps in Week 9 and 39% in Week 8.
If you're keeping track, that means that Matthews has pretty much been the go-to receiver in terms of snaps in the past two games. He did get only 4 targets two weeks ago but is coming off a 10-target showing in Week 9. He draws the Green Bay Packers' depleted secondary, which ranks 23rd against fantasy receivers this year, in Week 10.
Tight End
C.J. Fiedorowicz, Houston Texans (11.7%)
The matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars isn't great for C.J. Fiedorowicz, as they rank top-10 against tight ends in terms of fantasy points allowed, but he has had at least 4 catches and 35 yards in five straight games. He has also played at least 62% of his team's snaps and gotten at least 5 targets in each game since Week 4. Tight ends at this ownership are generally hit-or-miss, but Fiedorowicz has some consistency that you just don't usually find in this range.
Flex
Brian Quick, Los Angeles Rams (8.0%)
Well, Brian Quick put forth another "solid" performance last week, with 4 catches for 48 yards. In half-PPR formats, he has had at least 6.6 points in six straight games, including two with 11-plus points. He did get out-snapped by Tavon Austin (78% to 74%) and Kenny Britt (88%), but Quick tied Britt in Week 9 with 6 targets to Austin's 2. This week, the Los Angeles Rams face the New York Jets, who boast the eighth-worst pass defense, per NEP, among teams in action in Week 10. Quick has a floor and a ceiling right now for deep-leaguers, and he should continue that in Week 10.